One of the things I was not-so-secretly most looking forward to about becoming a mother was the baby clothes. Finally, a reason to buy Stella McCartney for Gap where I wouldn't be branded a complete psycho (unlike the time I tried to stuff myself into a tiger-print jumper meant for a 12-year-old).
And as a person who writes about fashion but can't actually afford to buy anything seen on the catwalks, you can imagine how thrilled I was when a wardrobe of designer duds found its way into my home. Even though all of it was for Diana.
I can't quite believe how much cool stuff she's already amassed: a pearl necklace, a lace outfit made in Burano, the lace capital of Italy, Replay bellbottom jeans, reworked kimono dresses from Australia, plus some of the cutest clothing from Baby Gap, including trendy peasant tops, a Barbour-style hunting jacket and a hot pink tutu à la Carrie Bradshaw in the opening scene of Sex and the City. Which she can pair with velour animal booties, a cashmere knit hat, Mary Jane trompe d'oeil socks in a rainbow of colours and pink Converse high-tops, depending on the occasion and the weather, naturally. She even has better eco-credentials than I do, considering half of these clothes are made from organic cotton. Have I mentioned she's six weeks old?
Yes, I'm insanely jealous. While Diana's getting more glamorous by the minute, my look has gone from pregnant and wearing five dresses on rotation from Topshop Maternity since February to breastfeeding and alternating between three crappy button-downs and two nursing tops. So even though I've completely given up on myself (bad news for Diana's dad, I'm afraid) and am desperate to buy everything on the planet for my baby girl (just as luck would have it, there are about 10 new designer baby ranges which have just launched, from Paul Smith to Gucci), I am trying to play the role of sensible mum. Which means Diana's day-to-day wear consists of three-to-a-pack sleepsuits from John Lewis and £2 stripy leggings from Mothercare. I figure the kid's got to learn to mix high street with designer, right?